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DALEK
Negro Necro Nekros (Gern Blanston)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
I picked up this CD at a club while I was still in a state of shock from watching Dälek perform. I hadn't come to see Dälek, nor had I heard of this trip-hop trio, but they were second on a 3-band bill and today, a month and change later, I keep replaying their show in my mind. The two turntable wizards provided all the beats, samples and sounds that the MC, Dälek, required for backdrops for his unique poetry.
The truth is I didn't hear that poetry at all that night. Apparently Dälek are quickly becoming legendary for, among other things, using volume and noise at the threshold of pain, so the words were a blur and a sensation until I listened to this four year old CD. What I heard then was the final piece of the prize, the poetry of Dälek the man, his hypnotic delivery and sense of the surreal that makes the whole package irresistible and far, far superior to almost everything else that's been released in the last half decade or so. Don't let the number of songs weigh into your decision on checking this out. Yes, there are only five songs, but the CD is nearly 40 minutes long, and you come out the other end of the tunnel with a feeling of awe and a desire to show this music to others.
Me, I'm listening to "Three Rocks Blessed" again, floating on the beats with the sitars and other Indian classical instruments, marveling at how smoothly it's reeled into the focus of Dälek's trip - my trip for the moment. Eyes closed, I can still see Dälek holding the microphone against the monitor to create feedback, The Octopus behind the turntables at stage left spinning out the beats, and Joshua Booth, hair in a Hendrixesque 'fro, hunched over a turntable, scratching with an intense ferocity that mesmerizes the audience. There's newer material available, and I'm going in search of it and will report on it ASAP. Meanwhile, find this and watch for them. Their show should not be missed. However, protect your ears!
© 2002 - DJ Johnson